Surprise! You're a Dad
by The Sithspawn
Summary: AU Terra Firma. John Crichton returns to Earth and finds a surprise waiting for him.
1. Chapter 1 Surprise!

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Surprise! You're a Dad

Farscape AU for Terra Firma

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Disclaimer: I don't own Farscape

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Author's Notes: This story becomes AU from the point directly after he sees DK again. Please Read and Review.

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Summary: John Crighton returns to Earth but finds a surprise there's waiting for him.

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Chapter 1: The Surprise

Upon returning from the past to Moya John had met up with Earth's First Contact team and Jack Crighton. The implications of what his presence on Earth would be had been slowly sinking in.

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John was a danger to Earth and all the ones he loved if he stayed.

Finally, after many debates about what to do they had decided. He was standing in a warehouse at Canaveral waiting to meet his family and the press.

He was being bombarded with too many 'normal' surprises and emotions that had been buried inside for the past four years.

He had seen and held Olivia, his sister in his arms. He had found out that he had missed out on being best man at DK's wedding. But through it all they had kept looking at him as if there was something that they were keeping from him.

At the other side of the warehouse, the press was swarming over Dargo, Aeryn and the rest of Moya's crew. All excited that they were actually seeing real live sentient Aliens.

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Later that day, at the Crighton House

John and Aeryn sat the living room of the Crighton family home. John's dad was pulling out all the stops. He was going way overboard on the Christmas decorations. Pulling out all the old photographs from past years, reminiscing about old happenings and trying to make John feel at home, as if the last four years had not happened.

"What's next you pull out my bare ass baby pictures?" Said John.

Jack Crighton and Olivia shared a look and nodded in agreement, "Yeah," Olivia said emphatically.

"That's a great idea. Aeryn do you want to see those pictures?" Asked Jack.

Aeryn smiled and nodded her head.

John put his foot down, "No, you're not looking at my bare ass."

"Why not?" Asked Olivia.

The doorbell rang at that moment.

"I'll get it," said John to escape his families needling.

He opened the door.

Standing at the door was Caroline Wallace and she was not alone.

She was holding a three-year-old boy's hand.

"Hi, welcome back from the dead John."

John was wondering who was the boy. "Hey Caroline, " he looked down at the boy and asked, "Who's the kid?"

The boy was looking up at John with _familiar_ innocent blue eyes.

Caroline looked at John and dropped a frag canon shell on him. "This is our son. John Robert Crighton the Third…"

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Author's Notes: Surprise! Hope u like this. Feedback is appreciated.


	2. Chapter 2 Explanations

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Surprise! You're a Dad

Farscape AU for Terra Firma

Disclaimer: I don't own Farscape

Author's Notes: This story becomes AU from the point directly after he sees DK again. Please Read and Review.

Summary: John Crighton returns to Earth but finds a surprise there's waiting for him.

John looked between Caroline and his son, shocked at this turn of events.

"What? How?" John managed to say.

"Aren't you going to invite us in before you start asking questions," asked Caroline.

"Uh…ah…Caroline's here, with company," John directed at his family and Aeryn.

They walked into the living room and Aeryn caught sight of the shock on John's face. She looked to him then looked to the woman next to him with the child. She saw the resemblance between the child and John and realized the truth of what she saw. In response to this, her face became a mask. John had seen this mask many times, always when the situation at hand had become too emotional for her to handle.

And this time she had every right to withdraw into herself.

Aeryn is going to kill me, John thought irrationally_. I mean here she sits in the Family living room **on Earth** experiencing her first actual Human Christmas and in walks my old girlfriend with a boy she claims is my son. Add to that that she is pregnant with 'John Crichton's' child. Things can't get anymore complicated than this! _John contemplated the situation for a second. _Wait scratch that, it CAN get more complicated. Commandant Cleavage could show up in Earth orbit with her Command Carrier._

With that silver lining in mind, John turned back to the surroundings and the situation at hand.

He opened his mouth to tell his dad about Caroline and the boy but the look on Jack Crichton's face said he already knew about John III, it also appeared Olivia knew as well.

"She told us she was pregnant right after the accident," explained Jack.

Olivia continued, "She was going to tell you after the Farscape mission, but…"

"I never came back," finished John.

"Yes, afterwards, after the accident having your child helped us all get on with our lives and deal with your loss, especially DK. He was hit hardest. He blamed himself. He thought he had done or said something that caused the accident," Caroline explained, "Your family and DK have all helped to take care of and raise this child. And now…"

"And now I'm back," John finished her sentence.

John's emotions were in turmoil. Life just kept on getting more and more complicated.

Just remember Johnny boy, No Command Carrier…yet.

"Yes, you're back among your family and everything is going to go back to normal. Everything will be as it was before you left," Jack said optimistically.

John stared down at his looking the boy's bright blue eyes, "NO, this changes EVERTHING. Normal was sucked down into a Black Hole a long, long, long time ago and hasn't been seen since."

Aeryn's emotional mask broke. John's last statement had _shattered_ it. Worry began to appear on her features.

The last time she had heard that tone of voice had been on Scorpius's Command Carrier, when the other John Crichton had agreed to help Scorpius to deal with the Scarrens.

She remembered just how badly things had ended.

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Vividly.

She had no wish to relive those events ever again.

They had all been ignoring John III throughout their conversation but now John III walked up to his father and pulled on his pants leg.

John Crichton crouched down next to his son.

John III said, "Are you my daddy? Mommy said you went away." The boy looked at John with wishful blue eyes that resembled John's own.

"Grampa and aunt Livvie said you were never coming back," John III continued.

John slowly answered his son, "Yes…I'm your daddy and that's all that matters."

The boy smiled a toothy grin and hugged John. John hugged his son back and marveled in the sensation.

He was hugging a son he had had no idea existed before today. He had missed so much of his son's life. It ripped him up to think all the little events he had missed when he was in space, his son's first smile, first step, first word…

He was going to make up for all the lost time.

And if anybody tried to interfere, he was going to pull _Wynona_ out and blast them.

No warnings or anything.

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It was time for Commander John Robert Crichton II to grab control of Fate and make it work for him, for a change.

Author's Notes: Hope u like this chapter. Please Read and Review. Sorry it took so long.Unfortunately, don't expect the next chapters to come any sooner. Sorry : (


	3. Chapter 3 Misgivings

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Surprise! You're a Dad

Farscape AU for Terra Firma

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Disclaimer: I don't own Farscape

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Author's Notes: Please Read and Review. Also if I don't change a scene from the episode then it still happened. I will not be going into the political aspects of this episode.

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Summary: John Crighton returns to Earth but finds a surprise there waiting for him.

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Chapter 3

The next week went by in a flash.

John's days and nights were divided between dealing with Earth's various governments, talking to the press and showing DK the alien technology. Other than that, John spent as much time as possible with John III, making up for lost time.

John III was as happy as a toddler could be.

John was spoiling him rotten. Anything he wanted he got. Anywhere John III wanted to go they went. John even took him around the world in the Farscape module, as well as up to Moya, a few times.

How many kids could say their fathers took them into space in a spaceship to meet real Aliens?

John III could.

And the aliens…John III had taken to them as John had originally done.

John III had initially been afraid of Dargo when he met him, but one look at his surrounding form Dargo's shoulders and they had become fast friends.

Now Chiana and John III, they had taken to each other like old friends. John III loved her colouration because he said she reminded him of a cloud. The dynamic duo spent long hours playing and getting into mischief when John wasn't around, sometimes even when he was.

But Aeryn.

Now that was a different story.

She had been acting distant from John. She acted with care around John III, as if she didn't know how to act around a normal three-year-old, which given her background she probably didn't.

But she had been avoiding John, as much as possible, whether on Moya or on Earth. It had gotten to the point where everyone had noticed, even Pilot.

She was working on her prowler when Chiana found her.

"What you doing?" Chiana innocently asked

"I'm recalibrating the pulse canons," replied Aeryn without looking up at Chiana.

"Oh," Chiana just stood there behind Aeryn, with a pensive look on her face.

Aeryn finished recalibrating the pulse canons, turned around and ran into Chiana.

When Aeryn regained her balance, she eyed Chiana suspiciously and asked, "Did you want something?"

"Uh…yeah," Chiana succinctly answered.

Aeryn waited, "Well?"

"You know," Chiana made a gesture Aeryn could not interpret.

Aeryn took a deep breath, knowing that this was going to be a long conversation, "Know what?"

"You know…You and Crichton. What's going on this time?" Chiana expressed her worry about them.

"Nothing," Aeryn quickly answered.

"Nothing? Hmm. we've all seen nothing before. This isn't IT," Chiana retorted smartly.

"It's nothing. I'm just worried about Crichton," Aeryn conceded.

Chiana cocked her head to the side , "Worried that he'll stay on Earth or…with her?"

Chiana could see Aeryn's jaw clench in response to her question.

"It's not that…"

"But it is a part of the problem."

Aeryn was starting to get frustrated with Chiana's prying. Aeryn glared at Chiana.

"It is isn't it? I knew it you're afraid Crichton's going to leave you for that _blonde_ trelik. Aren't you?" she proclaimed to Aeryn, vindicated.

Aeryn now angry with Chiana lost his temper, "NO! I'm afraid of what lengths he will go to, to protect his son! I just know he's going to do something completely farbot! Something we're all going to regret! Something crazy! You didn't hear him when found out about John III," the last part came out as a whisper.

Silence reigned while both considered what lengths John usually went to , just to protect his friends. Not his family.

Chiana weighed what she knew about Crichton with what Aeryn had just pointed out, "This is John Crichton we're talking about. _Of course_ he's going to do something farbot, he wouldn't be Crichton if he didn't. And anyway, it always works out in the end. You'll see," Chiana remarked optimistically.

She turned and started to walk away.

After only a few steps, she turned back to face Aeryn and cheekily said with a laugh, "And he's Definitely NOT going to end up with that _blonde_ trelik!"

She laughed again then left Aeryn alone with her thoughts in Moya's docking bay.

Halfway down the corridor Chiana met up with Dargo.

"Well? What'd you find out?" Dargo asked impatiently.

"It's like I said, she's afraid that Crichton's going to end up with that blonde human…?"

"**_That's it?!_**" Dargo exclaimed in disbelief.

"Well…" Chiana drawled.

"Well what?"

Chiana shrugged. "She sorta thinks he's going to do something completely farbot to protect his family" Chiana answered.

Dargo snorted at this, "When have we known him _not_ to do something stupid?"

"I know! I told Aeryn the same thing!"

Both Dargo and Chiana shook their heads at how complicated relationship issues always became.

Meanwhile, Aeryn had been considering all that Chiana had pointed out. Aeryn conceded that they were good points but every fiber of her being felt that this time things were going to be different…

Aeryn shuddered.

Bad things were definitely going to happen.

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Author's Notes: Hope u like this chapter. Please Read and Review.


	4. Chapter 4 Normalcy

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Surprise! You're a Dad

Farscape AU for Terra Firma

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Disclaimer: I don't own Farscape

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Author's Notes: Please Read and Review.

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Summary: John Crighton returns to Earth but finds a surprise there waiting for him.

Chapter 4

Back on Earth, John and Jack were having a similar conversation about John's future.

"Son, is everything okay?" Jack asked, worry readily apparent on his face.

John non-comittingly shrugged as he sat in front of the TV munching on some popcorn. He and Caroline had visited John III's preschool today. They'd met John III's teacher and classmates. It had been an open day and the other parents had been there as well.

Unfortunately things had not gone as planned.

Oh, the kids had been ecstatic to meet someone who hung out with aliens and had been living in outerspace. Most of the other parents had felt the same way.

One of them had even been an agent and had tried to talk him into some product endorsements.

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He had even wanted John to talk to some of his alien friends about this.

The irony of this had set john laughing.

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Hard.

It was a full 15 minutes before he could regain his composure.

The agent had handed John his card for the remainder of the day had stood at the other sided of the room giving John funny looks.

The kind he had gotten used to seeing on alien faces.

The kind that said, 'Maybe this guy isn't playing with all his marbles…'

The rest of all the parents had looked at him as an international hero.

They had all wanted to hear about aliens and alien worlds.

He'd stood there among 'normal' people doing 'normal' things and he wondered what he could tell them about…?

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How all his friends were wanted criminals, himself included, with bounties on their heads that would make **Han Solo** jealous?

How he had been nearly **eaten** by a calcivore?

About Muldis?

About Harvey?

How he had **killed** Aeryn?

How Zhann had **resurrected** Aeryn?

How he had been twinned?

About wormhole weapons and what the other him had done to that Scarren dreadnought?

About Katralla and the daughter he would never see through a cruel twist of fate?

About watching Scorpius murder Gilina?

About Scorpius?

About destroying Peacekeeper bases and Command Carriers?

About his body count?

About the Peacekeeper, Scarren and Nebari threats?

Or about his friends various, very colourful backgrounds?

Or about his worst enemy that was waiting for him at the other side of the wormhole?

Hell, he hadn't even told the government about those things.

With all this flowing through his mind, he decide to stick to stuff about the different physiologies of different species he had met.

He told them about the Kalish ability to walk up wall, (just like Spiderman the kids had said.) Luxan tongue poison, that Sebaceans were cold-blooded like reptiles, and other things about other species he met.

He left to last Delvians.

He spoke of a bald blue lady he once knew. He even pulled out a hologram he had of her.

Once everyone had had a look at her, he had told them what she was.

Silence had reigned at his remark until one of the parents had remarked; "I didn't know that _plants_ were that **_attractive_**…"

That had set the whole room off. They had all started to laugh and afterwards they had all wanted to know all about her. John told them us much as he could but he left out a few things.

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How she had murdered her lover.

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How she had resurrected Aeryn.

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How much he had discovered he loved her-they had all loved her, when she left them.

He had managed not tear up while talking about her, but Caroline had noticed that there was something that he left out and that it affected him deeply.

To divert her attention from him, he told them how old she had been.

The kids had all been wowed, but the adults had been utterly speechless at the thought of someone been around since before Columbus discovered America.

With all these things, what had unnerved John were not their reactions but their interactions between one another.

They were **all** '**_NORMAL_**'.

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And he was a part of it.

For the first time in four years he had been '**_NORMAL'_**.

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Among '**NORMAL'** people.

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Innocent people.

It had been overall very disconcerting for him.

Why?

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Because he could very well take it all away from them.

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Because the Peacekeepers or Scarrens could follow him here and take their innocence away from them.

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Because more than anything he wanted that innocence back, their normalcy.

He wanted to be normal and was willing to go to great lengths, to bring it back to him.

But more than his burning desire for normalcy was his paternal need to protect his new family.

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His new son.

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His namesake.

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His drive to protect his Earth family was stronger than ever now.

**__**

He was now willing to pay a higher price for their protection.

Jack Crichton asked John again, "Are you sure son? You've been down ever since you returned with Caroline and little John."

"I'm just readjusting to the everyday things of here, that's all," John quietly answered.

He changed the channel and this guy on TV started drowning on about how the proof of existence of non-terrestrial life was going to affect the fabric of Earth's societies.

"Okay. Do you think we could talk about work now?" Jack asked willing to let the matter drop, for now.

John sighed; his dad was going to start up on the same argument they had been having for the last couple of days.

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Author's Notes: Hope u like this chapter. Please Read and Review.


	5. Chapter 5 Far from Relieved

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Surprise! You're a Dad

Farscape AU for Terra Firma

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Disclaimer: I don't own Farscape

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Author's Notes: Please Read and Review.

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Summary: John Crighton returns to Earth but finds a surprise there waiting for him.

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Chapter 5

John descended the transport pod's stairs.

He needed to check wormhole stability today.

"Wow," said his nephew Bobby.

"And this is just the parking garage," John remarked to Bobby.

He'd decided to make a trip of it today, he'd promised Bobby a trip to Moya but he'd been too busy last week. Jack, Caroline and John III had been free today so he'd decided to invite them along, so today could be a genuine family outing with the usual Crichton family twist.

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How many families took an outing to their nearest living sentient spaceship?

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Just the Crichtons.

"Where's this Pilot you've been talking about?" asked Bobby with unbridled enthusiasm.

"To see him you're going to need a guide. 1812!" John called.

John's faithful DRD scurried up to him, "Hold out your arm," He said as he squatted down next to the DRD. He sprayed the DRD's retractable arm with a spray can he got from Earth. The DRD moved the arm freely. "See all better."

Bobby squatted down next to them.

John introduced them, "1812, this is Bobby. Bobby, this is 1812; he's going to be your guide today. Hey dad why don't you go with them?"

"Sure Son, come on Bobby I know the way," Jack directed Bobby in the direction he thought was the way to Pilot's den.

"Uh, Jack…its that way," John said while pointing in the opposite direction that Jack had intended to go.

They headed off in the correct direction with 1812 in tow.

Dargo who had waiting for John to finish with them said, "DO you think they know how to open the doors?"

John ignored the remark and said, "I need to check wormhole stability."

"Can you do it from Command or do you need to go outside?" Dargo asked.

"Command'll do fine, I've had enough EVA to last me a lifetime."

John looked around and found Aeryn working on her prowler. He started to go towards her.

"Aren't you forgetting something?" Dargo said while pointing to Caroline and John III.

They standing at the foot of the transport pod while John III was pointing out all the things in the docking bay to his mother since it was her first trip to Moya.

John mentally kicked himself. He needed to speak to Aeryn. They needed to sort out a few things, hell several things.

"Hey you don't mind showing them around for a while?" asked John hopefully.

Dargo thought it over for a while, long enough to cause John to start squirming, "Okay…"

"Great! I'll meet you in Command after you're finished." John walked away before Dargo could retort or change his mind.

John reached the prowler, "How's your prowler?"

"All systems check out okay. It looks like you scientists didn't do any damage," Aeryn answered.

"I made sure they didn't," John assured Aeryn on that score.

"Thank you," Aeryn said awkwardly.

An awkward silence ensured as each one waited for the other to begin speaking again.

"I can field strip a pulse canon for them if you want."

"No, its okay. They've got enough to work on with just my module and Dargo's guppy."

Another silence ensured.

John broke the silence this time.

"You've been avoiding me." He looked her directly in the eye.

"You've been busy. I didn't want to get in your way," Aeryn explained.

"Get in my way? How?"

"You know with John III and…," Aeryn faltered

"And Caroline," finished John softly.

"Yes and the rest of your family," Aeryn added, but John could feel it was Caroline that bothered her the most, at least he thought so.

She did not reply.

"What are you afraid of? That I'll _stay_? We both know that won't happen. Not with the Peacekeepers and the Scarrens, **_both_**, after me and my wormhole knowledge." John said put off by Aeryn's stubbornness.

"Well?" John demanded, "Are you going to answer me?" John waited, "Fine," He turned away from her and started in the direction of Command.

He only got a few steps away.

"NO!!! I'm afraid of what you'll do to protect your new family!" Aeryn continued, now having John's complete attention, "I heard you that first night when you found out about your son. You were ready to do anything to make him safe! ANYTHING! That's what's scaring me." She said, the last part softly, as if to herself.

John turned back to Aeryn. He could see various emotions on her face; fear for herself and her unborn child, fear for John, fear for any future they might have together.

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I can't think about that now, thought John, feeling the urge for Noranti's drug come to the forefront of his feelings.

"Of course I would do anything to protect my family! That's a father's job description, but I'm not going to go to crazy extremes to do it," John said firmly, trying to relieve Aeryn of her fears. He turned and left for Command leaving Aeryn behind in the docking bay, far from relieved.

Her gut instinct was still telling her that this was going to end badly.

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Author's Notes: Hope u like this chapter. Please Read and Review.


	6. Chapter 6 Talks

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Surprise! You're a Dad

Farscape AU for Terra Firma

****

Disclaimer: I don't own Farscape

****

Author's Notes: Please Read and Review.

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Summary: John Crighton returns to Earth but finds a surprise there waiting for him.

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Chapter 6

Saturn's bulk dominated the prowler's view.

"Saturn…Wow. I'm actually looking at Saturn! I've been further away from Earth than any Human," Jack said in awe of Saturn's rings.

"Actually…not quite," Aeryn remarked.

Chargained, Jack said, "Oh Yeah, maybe my son does have me beat by a little bit." He gazed back up at Saturn, admiring the planet's luminous rings.

They sat in silence for a few minutes then Jack said without turning his gaze from Saturn, "You care for my son, don't you?"

"We were in a relationship"-pause-"Does that surprise you?"

"No"-pause-"It should, but it doesn't. Was it serious?" Jack asked seriously.

"It was…"

"What happened?" Jack asked wanting to know.

Aeryn didn't answer him.

"Did John find another woman?"

Aeryn thought of the various females that had attracted John's attention; Katralla, Gilina,…

"Was there another man for you?"

Aeryn thought of the other John Crichton…

Reluctantly, Aeryn truthfully answered him, "Both actually," Aeryn shook her head, "It's complicated."

"What happened to them?" She now had his complete attention.

Aeryn answered him slowly, "It didn't work out, they died…they were _murdered_." The innocent Gilina's murder came to mind. Aeryn shrugged.

"They were **_murdered_**?" asked Jack in shock, "Did that happen often?" Jack asked dreading the answer to his question.

"No…not often. It's all in the past. We've gotten past it all," Aeryn left much unsaid.

Nevertheless, Jack realized the main item left out, "But you're still not back together…And now there's Caroline and John III. You're afraid of losing him permanently now. Aren't you?"

Silence answered him. It was the only answer Aeryn was capable of giving him.

Back on Moya, Dargo had finished showing Caroline around Moya. Chiana had come up to play with John III and they were off running around the different tiers having all sorts of fun and getting into all sorts of mischief. Bobby was still taking to Pilot and Pilot was very flattered that Bobby was willing to spend so much time listening to him talk.

Dargo and Caroline walked into Command to find John sitting on the table there lost in thought staring out the viewport, watching Earth revolving majestically in the darkness of space, with his back to them.

"Wow," Caroline said in awe as she took in the vista in front of her.

John turned around and caught sight of them, "Hey," he looked around for his son, What did you do with my boy? Don't say you let him wander around Moya all by himself, Dargo, you know the kind of trouble _I_ get into when I wander around Moya," John joked.

Dargo just rolled his eyes and said, "Chiana's with him."

"That's almost as bad," retorted John, "Don't you think Caroline…Caroline?"

"What?" Caroline said, she had been enjoying the view.

"Never mind. So, did you enjoy the tour?" John asked Caroline.

She moved up to sit next to John then said, "It was great! Everything's so amazing up here," she raved.

They sat there for a few moments until Dargo, becoming uncomfortable in the silence that descended upon them, spoke up, "I'll go check up on Chiana, make sure that she's not getting him into any trouble."

"Sure D, we'll be here waiting," John said waving Dargo off.

Dargo hastily left Command, leaving John and Caroline alone with one another. They sat there gazing out at Earth and John contemplating what he needed to say to her.

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I can't believe I'm going to say this…thought John.

"We need to talk Caroline," John said seriously.

Caroline tore her gaze away from the viewport and looked at John.

"I was wondering when we were going to get around to our talk. We've been avoiding it since you came back to Earth," Caroline looked around herself, "Though I didn't imagine that we'd end up talking here," Caroline said, gesturing to the unusual surroundings of the living spaceship.

"Yeah well life has a habit of throwing curveballs every once in a while, every other day if you happen to be me," John laughingly joked.

Caroline laughed, "Nice to know you haven't lost your sense of humor."

"Yeah well it's taken a few hits but its still here," John conceded.

They sat in silence again until John spoke up again, "I can't stay, Caroline."

She looked at him, unsure of her of her position, "Why not? Your son is going to be devastated! He's just gotten used to having you around and now you're leaving?" Indignation now rising to the surface.

"I have to go, I can't stay here," John repeated.

"Is it me? I haven't asked anything of you, I haven't asked for any commitments or a ring, just that you care for your son. You're happy doing _that_!" Caroline inquired, strong emotions now running through her.

John sighed, "I know. It's for him that I have to leave."

"Why? Why do you have to leave? I don't understand," Caroline said, now confused.

"It's complicated. There are things I have to do."

"Are they important?"

"Yes. Very important."

"What about John III? Isn't he as important?" Caroline indignantly asked.

John nodded, "He's more important; it's for him that I have to do these things."

"What things?" she beginning to think that John was giving her the run around.

John shook his head, "I can't tell you. You wouldn't believe me."

Caroline didn't speak; she did not know what to make of John's remarks.

John added, "I talked to my bosses at IASA, I arranged to have them send you my paycheck, retroactively, to help take care of little John's needs."

"Fine, but little John would rather to have you around," Caroline stated evenly.

"I know. I just can't remain here…it's too dangerous."

Caroline turned to him, eyes wide with shock, "Dangerous?! To you or to Earth?" she asked anxiously.

John kicked himself for revealing too much to Caroline, "It's complicated."

"What's wrong?" Caroline asked, now worried.

"I can't tell you…you wouldn't believe me," John said, quietly.

"_I wouldn't believe you?_" said a confused and frustrated Caroline.

"Yeah, you wouldn't. Trust me on this, I know all about what's believable and what's not. You can trust me on **_that_**," John firmly stated.

John's statement had a ring of finality to it. Caroline realized that no matter what she said now would get him to elaborate on the dangers he was so afraid of. So she decided to drop the matter.

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For now.

They could here John III's happy giggles coming from the corridor so she decided to talk later.

"Fine whatever you say, we can talk later." Caroline reluctantly said.

**__**

Much later

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Author's Notes: Hope u like this chapter. Please Read and Review.


	7. Chapter 7 Confessions

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Surprise! You're a Dad

Farscape AU for Terra Firma

****

Disclaimer: I don't own Farscape

****

Author's Notes: Please Read and Review.

****

Summary: John Crighton returns to Earth but finds a surprise there waiting for him.

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Chapter 7

A somber John Crichton sat at the dining room table in the Crichton family house looking through the old family photo albums trying to remember what it was like to be normal and innocent.

Olivia came into the dining room and pulled up a chair next to her brother, "Hey, what'd you doing?" she said as she sat net to him.

"Just looking at old photos," he said without looking up.

He flipped through a couple more pages as she sat there next to him.

She studied him and his expressions as he gazed and examined each photo, "Do you want to go live in the past?" she asked pointedly.

John softly snorted to himself, "No thanks. I've been there already," he said, silently remembering how close they had come to screwing up the timeline.

He pointed to a picture of his mother, "I miss her," he pointed to a picture of a younger version of Olivia, "I miss that chick."

Olivia laughed at his remark.

He pointed to a picture of Jack, "He's changed."

"He's changed so much that you can't talk to him?" Olivia asked seriously.

John grimaced. It was the same argument he'd been having with everybody since he came back to Earth, "He's the head of extraterrestrial studies for IASA. What he hears the government hears…and there are some things that the government is not ready to hear," he said grimly, while looking Olivia directly in the eye.

Olivia looked at him in alarm, "It's bad, isn't it?"

"No it's not bad…"he started to say.

"But it's dangerous," she stated evenly.

John eyed her curiously, then realization dawned.

"You talked to Caroline, didn't you?"

She nodded her head.

John kicked himself again for having such a big mouth at times, "It's complicated."

Olivia raised her eyebrows, "She said you said that as well."

"Yeah well it is," John said in conformation.

Olivia did not let up on him, "It's me Olivia, your sister. I never kept anything from you before. You can talk to me about anything," she said empathetically while gesturing to herself.

"It's complicated he repeated to her."

"How's it complicated? Is it Aeryn?" she urged him to talk about it.

John felt different emotions battling for supremacy in his body.

"Partly," he conceded.

"We all already know that the two of you were involved, is there anything else going on?" she paused and decided to try to lighten her brother's darkening mood, "Don't tell me that the rumors are true, that she's pregnant!" she joked sassily.

John started to squirm in his chair and sheepishly smiled, "Uhum…well…"

Olivia stared at her brother in disbelief, "What?! I was just kidding…Wow…how far along is she?"

John continued to squirm, "It's a little different for Sebacean women."

"What? How much can it differ from how we do it?" Olivia asked in surprise.

John shrugged, "Basically, after conception, Sebacean females can keep the embryos in stasis for up to 7 years,.or until it is released by a doctor," John explained.

Olivia , now impressed, remarked, "Cool. I bet they have any teenage mothers. So how long has my potential nephew or niece been in stasis?" she eagerly asked John.

John started to squirm even more now, "Uh…maybe 3…or 3 and a half…_years_," he said sheepishly.

She blinked, "3 and a half years?!" she shook her head, "_Sheesh. _You really know how to work fast, don't you?" she said while eyeing him suggestively.

John shrugged indifferently, "What can I say, I'm irresistible to women," he said with an ego filled smile.

Olivia moved back to the top at hand, "So what's the problem?" When John did not answer her she continued, "You've been with her for longer than you were with Caroline, and we all know that you two were never in a serious relationship," she paused for a second before continuing, "And I know that she hasn't asked for any commitments from you _now_," she finally finished her speech.

"We weren't together all the time I was out there."

"What happened?" Olivia wanted to know.

John thought for a moment, then confessed, "There were other women that caught my attention," John said evenly.

"Just you? Didn't anyone else catch Aeryn's eye?"

"No," John said softly, "She's always had feelings for **_John Crichton_**."

He thought about the original John Crichton and his dead twin.

__

There was no way in hell that he was ever going to confess this to Olivia.

**__**

As far as he was concerned; he is the one and only John Crichton

Olivia was staring at him wondering about the unusual way he had phrased that last admission about Aeryn, but she let it pass and pressed on.

"So who were these women? Were any of them serious?" she asked coyly, determined to wheedle out of him all the little details out of her brother.

John cocked his head to the side as he considered what exactly he could tell her, "Only two were serious…" he faltered off.

"_And_…" Olivia waved him on, prompting him to continue.

John took a deep breath, pushing past the pain that these memories brought back to the surface, "The first was Gilina. She _was_ a short blonde Peacekeeper tech that we met."

"Was? What happened to her?" Olivia wanted to know.

John took a deep breath (even after all this time her death still hurt), "She was…_murdered_," John said quietly.

Olivia's mouth fell open, in surprise. She could see her brother's jaw clench and unclench as he remembered the painful memory of Scorpius shooting her.

Olivia didn't know what to say to John.

John continued on disregarding his sister's shock, "Then there was Katralla, Princess of the Sebacean Royal Colonies and heir to the throne," John snorted at the understatement he was about to say, "Now _that_ was a complicated relationship from the start."

Olivia waved her brother to a stop, preventing him from saying anything else, "Woah, woah, slow down there cowboy. A _Princess_?! An **_Alien Princess_**?! How'd that happen?" she asked in bewilderment.

John dropped a bombshell, "In a nutshell; her DNA was damaged and I was the only compatible male available."

Olivia thought about what he said and came to a startling conclusion, "**_Oh my God_**. Are you saying that there is **_another_** new member to the Crichton family?" she demanded.

John dropped another bombshell, "There will be. My daughter…in**_ another 76 years_**."

"Oka-What? **_76 years_**? How come? Hell, how's that possible if the mother is Sebacean? She is Sebacean, isn't she?" Olivia's confusing causing her to start to babble.

"Currently she's frozen in stasis. It's something they do for every prospect Empress," John explained offhandedly.

"Why would they do something like that?" Olivia wanted to know.

"They keep the next Empress on ice until the old Empress is ready to step down. They've been doing this for a very long time," John explained without going into other details.

Olivia thought about how long 76 years is and came to a startling realization, "But…" she stuttered, "that means you're never going to see her," she said in horror of such a cruel trick of fate.

John did not reply and they sat there in silence, each one contemplating different situations.

Olivia reached out and gently squeezed her brother's hand in commiseration of the things that had happened to him.

He looked up at her and returned her loving gaze and deep inside his pain slowly, bit by bit, became more bearable.

__

Perhaps coming clean to Olivia wasn't a bad thing, thought John.

"But you still haven't explained why it's so dangerous out there," Olivia said.

__

Then again…, John thought. He'd forgotten how much of a pitbull she could be when she sinks her teeth into a subject.

"Look, I have something people want. These people will stop at **_nothing_** to get it. I can't go into any more details," John said empathically.

"Why can't you just give it to them," Olivia asked.

"I just can't," John said, still adamant that he say nothing further.

Olivia desisted in asking; sensing that he wasn't going to say anything more about the matter, "Fine, have it your way. I have to get some sleep. I promised Aeryn that I would go shopping with her and Chiana tomorro."

She got up and left the table leaving John to brood on all that was on his plate.

**__**

Things just kept on getting more and more complicated.

Author's Notes: Hope u like this chapter. Please Read and Review.


	8. Chapter 8 New Hope

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Surprise! You're a Dad

Farscape AU for Terra Firma

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Farscape

**Author's Notes: **Please Read and Review.

**Summary:** John Crichton returns to Earth but finds a surprise there waiting for him.

Chapter 8 New Hope

The day had started out good for Aeryn. Olivia had come over in the morning and she had taken Aeryn shopping. They had spent the hours together.

It had been strangely peaceful from Aeryn's point of view, a view into a world she had never seen or been in before.

They had talked while they shopped, nothing serious, just 'girl talk' as Olivia put it. They had shared comedic stories about John's daily antics and congratulated and commiserated each other on being able to stand him for so long without doing him any grievous bodily harm. They had laughed and joked and for the first time in Aeryn's life she'd found herself opening up with only minimal prodding. For some reason she'd almost felt safe.

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**_Almost_**.

Whenever she had started to feel safe, she would remember the way John had been acting and all the people that were after them.

They were nowhere near safe and the situation was not going to get better anytime soon.

She'd tried to prevent it all from overwhelming her by shopping. Olivia had been right shopping could be very therapeutic. By the time they were finished, she had felt much better.

The only thing that was troubling her was that Olivia had kept trying to steer her towards the baby sections of the stores in the mall.

Perhaps Crichton had had told her? Or was it just Olivia's own intuition?

Aeryn did not know.

Aeryn shook her head to clear it.

Anyway that was this morning. She was now at the beach house the Us government had given them. She was carrying some of the stuff she had purchased at the mall this morning. The rest of it was being carried by a row of Secret Service agents that were following in her wake. She entered the house to find the rest of Moya's crew sitting idly around the TV.

Dargo looked up at her and she asked him, "Is Crichton here?"

"No, but his cousin Bobby is by the pool interviewing Caroline Wallace," answered Dargo.

Aeryn nodded at this and went to put away the boxes she had with her.

A few minutes later Aeryn walked out to the pool to find Bobby sitting with his camera talking with Caroline.

"So how long have you been involved with John Crichton?" Bobby was asking.

Caroline caught sight of Aeryn, "Cut Bobby, we'll continue this later, okay?"

He shrugged, "Sure." He got up and started to film the surrounding area.

"I was actually interested in the answer to that question," said Aeryn cautiously as she approached Caroline.

Caroline just smiled at her.

Aeryn sat down in the place that Bobby had just vacated.

They sat there staring at each other. Each one waiting for the other to begin. In the end Caroline was the one that broke the silence.

"I haven't asked anything of him, you know," Caroline said.

"It's none of my business if you had," answered Aeryn.

"Yes it is," Caroline rebutted, "I've seen the way you look at him."

"…We were once involved, but not any more," Aeryn conceded.

"I can imagine…" she paused for a second, "Well actually I can't," she conceded.

Another pregnant pause descended upon them.

"You know he still has feelings for you," stated Caroline.

"How can you tell?" Aeryn asked.

"I asked him about you several times. He said that things were over between the two of you. He actually said it several times."

Confusion appeared on Aeryn's face. _Were her microbes translating that correctly? Or was this another contradictory human statement?_ thought Aeryn.

Caroline saw the confusion and explained, "Usually when somebody says something repeatedly like he did, they're trying to convince themselves of it. He still has feels for you. You can trust me on that."

Caroline appeared happy with this or at least not disturbed by John's feelings.

"Oh…but what about you and little John?" asked Aeryn quizzically.

"We were never very serious about each other. We were only together to have fun times. I never loved him and he never loved me. And as for little John, well…he was just an accident. Don't get me wrong I love my son and can't imagine my life without him but I never intended to get pregnant back then. It was something that just happened," Caroline smiled happily and shrugged dismisively.

"But don't you want John to be a father to little John?" asked Aeryn curiously.

"He can be that without being with me," Caroline was adamant about that point.

Aeryn turned away from Caroline, _I hope so_, thought Aeryn. Her thoughts became filled with a glimmer of hope for her and John and the fetus she carried in stasis.

But in the depths of her soul, she knew it would never be that simple.

**Author's Notes: **Hope u like this chapter. Please Read and Review.


	9. Chapter 9 Farewell

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Surprise! You're a Dad

Farscape AU for Terra Firma

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Disclaimer: I don't own Farscape

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Author's Notes: Please Read and Review. I haven't altered the fight scene with the Skreeth for a good reason, which will become apparent as you read. Also I don't know the of DK's wife, I think it was Laura. If it isn't then tell me what it is and I'll change it.

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Summary: John Crichton returns to Earth but finds a surprise there waiting for him.

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Chapter 9 Farewell

"This is mom's ring. She gave it to you," said a flabbergasted John Crichton.

Olivia nodded, "I know I want you to have it," she pulled her brother into a big hug and whispered into his ear, "give it to her when you're ready and stay safe…" she said her voice filled with emotion.

"I will," he whispered back, holding on tighter as he said it.

After a few moments, Olivia reluctantly released her brother and stepped back, eyes glistening with tears.

John pocketed the ring and turned to face his father. Jack was having an even harder time fighting tears. They had found DK and Laura's bodies yesterday. The creature that had attacked them had killed them first before attacking them.

John did not know how to feel ever since he had returned he had felt distant from DK. They had not how to relate to each other anymore. John had not known how to be a friend to a normal person. DK had not see or done the things John had. Or killed the people John had.

DK had never had a real chance to get to know the new John Crichton.

__

And now he never will, thought John.

But to Jack…

DK had still been the second son he had never had.

And now his real son was leaving.

"Dad," John started.

"Son," Jack said then engulfed him in a giant bear-hug, "I don't want to lose you again John," Jack said, his voice choked up with emotion.

"You're not going to," He could feel his voice wavering.

"Why do have to go?" Jack said, breaking down into tears.

"Its complicated, but I have to go, I can't stay here," John kissed his father then said, "I'll be back. I promise." He untangled himself before he became anymore emotional.

John stepped away from Jack towards the last member of the group and his hardest as yet unsaid goodbye.

He squatted down by his son. John again thanked every deity that was watching over him that little John and Caroline had been late arriving at the Crichton house yesterday due the thick Christmas traffic.

Little John and Caroline had missed the attack by minutes.

John could not imagine what he would have done if little John had been injured or worse.

Well actually he could imagine. Images of unbelievable carnage and slaughter had crossed his mind. He would have hunted down the people responsible be they Peacekeepers or Scarrens. Then he would have show them in excruciating detail just how powerful wormhole weapons were in multiple examples that the galaxy would never have forgotten and his position as the '**_Scourge of the Uncharted Territories_**' would have been cemented for all time.

"Daddy don't go," John III said in a sad little voice, snapped John out of revere.

John put his hands on John III's shoulders, "I have to."

"But why daddy?" Tears were beginning to streak down his chubby cheeks.

It broke John's heart to see his son like this, his son had lost his uncle DK yesterday and now he had to lose his father too, "Everything is going to be okay. Your mom, Aunt Olivia and Granddad are going to take good care while I'm gone."

"But I want you to stay."

"I wish I could kiddo but there are some things I have deal with first."

This seemed to mollify John III a little bit, "And then you'll come back?"

"An then I'll come back," reaffirmed John with a smile, "I promise, and I always keep my promises."

John III hugged his father and John hugged him back.

When they finally let go of each other, John stood up and ruffled John III's hair once then turned to Caroline, "You take good care of our son."

"I will," promised a sad Caroline.

John walked away from them heading for the transport pod awaiting him without a second glance back. When he reached the pod's door he looked back at them.

And as he looked back at them he could feel his soul's turmoil.

One thing had been reaffirmed in his heart; he would do anything to safe guard them.

**__**

Anything.

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Author's Notes: Hope u like this chapter. Please Read and Review.


	10. Chapter 10 Epilogue

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Surprise! You're a Dad

Farscape AU for Terra Firma

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Disclaimer: I don't own Farscape

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Summary: John Crichton returns to Earth but finds a surprise there waiting for him.

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Author's Notes: Please Read and Review. The events in-between Terra Firma and Bad Timing are unchanged.

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Epilogue

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After the devastation of Katratzi

The Scarren stryker sped towards the wormhole at maximum speed.

Onboard the Scarren Commander paced pensively. a great deal of responsibility lay on the successful completion of his mission.

His Emperor was directly in contact with him at all times, as was his lover War Minister Ackna.

The navigator dropped the stryker into normal space.

The Scarren Commander scanned the area and updated the Emperor Staleek, "Emperor we have arrived at the wormhole. There are no other ships present here."

"Proceed to Earth! Reinforcements will follow," commanded Staleek.

The stryker flew steadily towards the wormhole and entered it. the journey through it was turbulent and swift. The pilot fought with the controls trying to keep it steady and not run into the walls of the transdimensional tunnel.

They quickly reached the end of the tunnel. They existed into normal space and scanned the area.

**__**

They were not alone.

A Peacekeeper Command Carrier with a fully deployed escort of prowlers and marauders stood between the stryker and it's objective.

Almost immediately the stryker comm unit came alive with a transmission from the Command Carrier, "This is Captain Miclor Braca of the Peacekeeper Interplanetary Services, Earth is under the protection of the Peacekeepers. Any hostile acts taken against Earth will be considered an act of War. Leave immediately!"

The Scarren Commander could now discern Crichton's Leviathan hiding behind the Command Carrier.

The Scarren Commander waited Staleek's response to this message, "Emperor…"

"I heard. Withdraw. This isn't over!" Staleek angrily promised.

The Scarren stryker hastily withdrew through the wormhole.

Onboard Moya, John sat in Command watching events play out in front of him.

__

Watching his deal with the devil play out.

The cadaverous son of a bitch.

When John had first heard Scorpius's offer of Peacekeeper protection, he'd rejected it outright, but John thought about more.

He realized that they would be able to protect Earth, not just from Scarrens but from all other threats, either coming through the wormhole or from nearby systems.

__

His son would be safe.

The child Aeryn is pregnant with would be safe.

She'd stuck with him even with this decision.

**__**

His family would be safe on Earth…

**__**

But the price…

John shrugged; it just his soul.

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And he would have to live with the consequences for the rest of his life.

Scorpius walked onto Command and stood next to John, "You see John, now Earth is safe." He smiled and placed his hand on John's shoulder.

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The End…

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Author's Notes: Didn't see that coming, now did you? Please Read and Review.


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